Director of Black Desert Rapids Water Park

Overview

Black Desert Resort, located among the dramatic red rocks and lava fields of Southern Utah, is an ultra-premium destination featuring luxury accommodations, championship golf, exceptional dining, spa and wellness experiences, recreation, and thoughtfully curated guest experiences.

Black Desert Rapids Water Park is a signature resort attraction designed to deliver exciting aquatic recreation, family-friendly entertainment, and exceptional guest experiences. The water park combines engaging water attractions, relaxation areas, and hospitality-driven service in a distinctive Southern Utah setting.

 

Job Summary

 

The Director of Black Desert Rapids Water Park provides strategic and operational leadership for all aspects of the water park, ensuring exceptional guest experiences, aquatic safety, financial performance, and operational excellence. This position oversees aquatic attractions, lifeguard operations, guest services, staffing, maintenance coordination, programming, and overall operational readiness.

The Director is responsible for developing and executing operational strategies, managing budgets, maximizing revenue opportunities, and maintaining the highest standards of safety, regulatory compliance, and guest satisfaction. This leader builds and develops a high-performing team while fostering a culture of accountability, teamwork, and genuine hospitality.

 

Job Specifications

Onsite: Black Desert Resort – Black Desert Rapids Water ParkShift & Schedule Availability: Full-Time / Year-Round

Pay Range: $180,000 Annually plus incentive bonus

 

Why Join Us

• Lead a Signature Attraction: Shape the operational strategy, guest experience, and continued success of Black Desert Rapids Water Park at one of Southern Utah's most distinctive resort destinations.
• Strategic Leadership: Develop a high-performing team while driving safety, guest satisfaction, operational efficiency, revenue growth, and financial performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Health insurance, 401(k) with company match, flexible time off, employee dining room, resort discounts, and employee hotel stay program.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for Black Desert Rapids Water Park, ensuring safe, efficient, and exceptional daily operations.
• Direct aquatic operations, lifeguard teams, guest services, attractions, recreation activities, and operational support functions.
• Establish and enforce aquatic safety protocols, emergency response procedures, operating standards, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Lead recruitment, training, certification verification, scheduling, coaching, and performance management of water park leadership and team members.
• Develop and manage operating budgets, labor expenses, revenue forecasts, financial reporting, and departmental profitability.
• Drive revenue growth through attendance strategies, admission sales, ancillary spending, programming, and operational efficiencies.
• Partner with Engineering to ensure attractions, pools, water systems, equipment, and facilities meet safety, maintenance, and operational readiness standards.
• Oversee water quality compliance, attraction inspections, preventive maintenance coordination, and required safety documentation.
• Develop staffing models, operating procedures, capacity management plans, and seasonal opening and closing strategies.
• Ensure exceptional guest experiences through proactive service, cleanliness, crowd management, accessibility, and effective service recovery.
• Collaborate with Food & Beverage, Security, Sales, Marketing, People Services, and resort leadership on operations, promotions, special events, and guest experiences.
• Direct emergency preparedness, incident response, accident reporting, investigations, and corrective actions.
• Monitor key performance indicators, including revenue, profitability, attendance, guest satisfaction, labor productivity, safety, and operational efficiency.
• Develop department leaders, establish performance expectations, and promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and genuine hospitality.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Hospitality, Recreation, Business, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• Five to seven years of progressive aquatic, water park, theme park, or resort operations leadership experience, including three years managing teams and budgets.
• Strong knowledge of aquatic safety, lifeguard operations, emergency response, regulatory compliance, and water quality standards.
• Certified Pool Operator (CPO), Aquatic Facility Operator (AFO), or equivalent certification, or ability to obtain; lifeguard instructor credentials preferred.
• Proven experience in financial management, revenue growth, labor planning, seasonal staffing, and high-volume guest operations.
• Strong leadership, communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills with a commitment to safety and exceptional hospitality.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and operational management systems; flexibility to work weekends, holidays, and extended hours.

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